Kebbi spends N233m on training school teachers in English Language, Hand writing

By Emmanuel Olorunsola

The Kebbi  State Government has approved N233m to train 1,452 primary school teachers and 120 mentors in the21 Local Government Areas of the state on English Language and handwriting methodology to improve literacy level of students in the state.

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Addressing journalists in Kebbi on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Schools Education, Alhaji Magawata Aliero, said, “We appreciate the Jolly Phonics of training our teachers. The training is a revival of the former methodology which we used to have when we were young.

“Education in our days is better than what it is today. Language is the vehicle upon which the tyres of communication move and without it, there is no communication. As for the handwriting, you cannot be learned until you know how to write and handwriting is part of it,” he said.

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According to him, the training is for all primary teachers in the 21 Local Government Areas.

Magawata assured that the training was a foundation for better future in the state’s education sector.

Also speaking, Alhaji Hassan Umar, the Director Quality Assurance in the ministry, said that the aim of the programme was to improve reading and writing among pupils.

“We are training 1,452 primary school teachers in English language and handwriting methodologies and at the same time and we are also training 120 mentors to support the teachers.

“The training is called Jolly Phonics, which means knowing letter sounds and how they work with joy. The jolly phonics, a UK- based organisation, is now in Kebbi State to train our teachers these teaching methodologies,” he said.

Umar said that the training was in collaboration with the state government and Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA).

“It is a three-day training and we have done one in our centre in Zuru, we are now in Birnin Kebbi and we are going to do same in Argungu centre,” he said. According to him, over N233m  has been approved by Gov. Atiku Bagudu for the training.

The director urged the teachers to pay attention to their duties in order to impact lifelong knowledge to the pupils.

Alhaji Umar Bello, the Northern Programme Coordinator, Universal Learning Solutions Initiative, also said that the state was one of the forerunners of the jolly phonics, especially the BESDA programme.

“Jolly Phonics is a fun and child centred approach to teaching literacy through synthetic phonics.

With actions for each of the 42 letter sounds, the multi-sensory method is very motivating for children and teachers,” he said.

Bello commended the state government for adhering to the rules and protocols of COVID-19 during the training. “This is excellent, and the arrangement is very fantastic and we thank the state government and its partners,” the coordinator said.